- The Conscious Language Newsletter by Karen Yin
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- July 2019 Newsletter
July 2019 Newsletter
CSG in the News
What’s New in Civic Tech: Check Out 18F’s Inclusive Language Style Guide | Government Technology
Government Technology’s news roundup features federal government tech consultancy 18F’s inclusive-language style guide, which states, “This guidance is influenced by the Conscious Style Guide, which is an excellent resource for learning more about the conversations behind terms, categories, and concepts.”
50+ Resources for LGBTQIA Allies | Buffer
Conscious Style Guide is one of Buffer’s “50+ Resources for LGBTQIA Allies”!
Queer Girl City Guide: Los Angeles | Autostraddle
Thanks to Autostraddle for linking to Conscious Style Guide’s piece on “name gentrification” by Henry Fuhrmann!
From the World of Conscious Language
Note: The authors’ viewpoints are not necessarily shared by Conscious Style Guide.
For the Millionth Time, We Are Not “All Immigrants” | Colorlines
A reminder of what we erase when we proclaim that “we are all immigrants.”
“Foreign” Lands Are Not Foreign in a Globalized World—and It Is Time International News Media Realized This | Nieman Reports
“When news cameras document foreign tragedy, it is argued that these kinds of ‘unsettling’ images should be shown precisely because they harness the horror, but pictures documenting American bodies are actually condemned for being disturbing.” —Jessica M. Fishman, in Death Makes the News
Integrating Non-English Words Into Academic Writing | University Affairs
Academic editor Letitia Henville explains why it’s important to “privilege non-English words.”
“Underage Women”: The Oxymoron That Hides Jeffrey Epstein’s Crime | Houston Chronicle
“In the Epstein case, 14-year-old girls raped by 60-year-old men are euphemistically known as ‘underaged women.’ This matters, in serious ways that affect how we view the application of criminal statutes.”
Uptalk, Vocal Fry, and Using the Word “Like” Are Signs You’re Linguistically Savvy—This Book Proves Why | Hello Giggles
“Sociolinguists have done these empirical studies into what ‘like’ is and found that there are actually six different forms of it, and they all serve a specific social utility.”
It’s Time for “They” | The New York Times
“I would hope to call you ‘they’ too, because the world will be slightly better off if we abandoned unnecessary gender signifiers as a matter of routine communication.”
“Calling folks who menstruate ‘menstruating people’ (or the inverse) is beneficial because it allows us to narrow our focus to only the people who are affected by the issue we’re trying to address.”
Gender-free terms you can use for your loved ones, like “datemate,” “grandy,” “pibling,” and “zaza.”
Marvel Changes Thor’s Hammer Description to Make It Gender Neutral | Cosmic Book News
“Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”
How You Can Help
If CSG has helped you in any way, please consider making a donation to help us keep our resources free and accessible. We also appreciate shout-outs in your newsletter, blog, and social media!
We Need to Treat Borderline Personality Disorder for What It Really Is—a Response to Trauma | The Conversation
“If we started thinking about it as a trauma-spectrum condition, patients might start being viewed as victims of past injustice, rather than perpetrators of their own misfortune.”
Why We Need To Stop Using “Bipolar” as an Adjective | Study Breaks
“There are other adjectives, such as wishy-washy, unreasonable, rash, finicky and more, that…would communicate what you mean more effectively.”
Celebrating a Business Named With a Racial Slur Is Ignorant | Minnesota Star Tribune
“Society has made some progress in respecting cultural and ethnic identities. For Roma, there is still much work to do.”
“The entire NBA hasn’t walked away from the term, simply the commissioner’s office and any team uneasy over using the word ‘owner’ when the majority of the league’s players are black and the vast majority of team owners are white.”
Men Appear Twice as Often as Women in News Photos on Facebook | Pew Research Center
In Facebook posts by prominent news media, “men appear twice as often as women do in news images, with a majority of photos showing exclusively men,” according to new study.
3 Tips for Reporting on Rural Health | Journalist’s Resource
“Be specific about what you mean when you’re talking about rural: Is the area isolated? Far from a hospital? Sparsely populated?”
How to Get Every Email Returned | The New York Times
“What I sensed intuitively about effective writing turned out to rest on some deep psychological truths. Understanding them provides tactics that can be exploited in both personal and written interactions.”
How to Ask for Feedback From Editors | The Open Notebook
How writers can get editor feedback that goes beyond line edits and how editors can give better feedback to writers.
From the Archives
You Are Where? The Name Gentrification of Low-Income Neighborhoods | Conscious Style Guide
When trendy areas adopt place names with deep roots, like L.A.’s “Eastside.”
In Case You Missed It
Read about the language used to responsibly report on mass shootings, the use of “disabled” and “disability,” food labels, college financial aid, and more.
The Power of Context
Follow @consciousstyleguide for examples of how context can support sensitive content, with a focus on YA books and kidlit.
More Resources From CSG
The Editors of Color Database, a project of Conscious Style Guide, is a free service that connects employers and recruiters with editors, proofreaders, and sensitivity readers of color in the U.S. and Canada. Also home to the Database of Diverse Databases, now with sixty resources!
The Conscious Style Guide newsletter rounds up the best news and blog posts from the world of kind, compassionate, mindful, empowering, respectful, and inclusive language. Note: Spotlighting an opinion is not intended as an endorsement. Please send news tips to [email protected].
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